Fabio Wardley Vs. Daniel Dubois Breakdown
Fabio Wardley puts his WBO heavyweight title on the line against former IBF champion Daniel Dubois on May 9, as we preview this upcoming fight.
Wardley claimed the interim WBO title by stopping Joseph Parker in the eleventh round last October. The WBO elevated Wardley to full champion once Oleksandr Usyk vacated.
| Statistics | Fabio Wardley | Daniel Dubois |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 20-0-1 | 22-3 |
| Title | WBO Heavyweight Champion | Former IBF Heavyweight Champion |
| Nationality | British (Ipswich) | British (London) |
| KO Rate | High | High |
| Last Fight | W – Parker (TKO R11, Oct 2025) | L – Usyk (KO) |
| Trainer | Ben Davison | Don Charles |
Dubois arrives on the back of the heaviest loss of his career. He challenged Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title and was knocked out, a result that stripped him of the IBF title he had defended memorably against Anthony Joshua — a performance in which he floored the 2012 Olympic champion four times before stopping him in the fifth round.
The Approach
Expect Wardley to establish the jab early to control range and stop Dubois from setting his feet for the big shots. He’ll want to work the body consistently, not just to slow Dubois down physically, but because body work forces Dubois to lower his guard and think about more than one thing. Wardley’s best chance is probably somewhere in the middle rounds if he can rough Dubois up, drag him into a scrappy fight, and take some of the venom out of his power. He cannot afford to box at range and give Dubois the space to load up.
Dubois’ entire tactical existence revolves around the right hand. His job is simple in theory: land the overhand right or the straight right early, and this fight is over before it begins. He’ll use the jab selectively — not as a scoring tool but as a range finder, a setup. He needs to make Wardley hesitant and keep him thinking defensively. The knockout of Joshua showed Dubois at his clinical best: patient, composed, explosive when the moment arrives. He’ll look for the same thing here.
The Card
Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois; For Wardley’s WBO heavyweight title
Jack Rafferty vs. Ekow Essuman; lightweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">Super lightweight
Bradley Rea vs. Liam Cameron; Light heavyweight
David Morrell vs. Zak Chelli; Catchweight
Khaleel Majid vs. Gavin Gwynne; Super lightweight
Bakhodir Jalolov vs. Agron Smakici; Heavyweight
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